Self-adhesive wallpaper — more commonly called peel and stick — has a pressure-sensitive backing instead of a paste-applied one. You peel off the liner and press it to the wall. No glue, no paste, no water, no booking time, and no professional installer.
That makes it the practical choice for renter-friendly wallpaper and temporary wallpaper projects: it goes up in an afternoon and comes off cleanly when a lease ends or you want a change. We offer two self-adhesive materials, both printed to order with GREENGUARD Gold certified inks.
Two Self-Adhesive Materials
Smooth Vinyl Peel & Stick
A flat, semi-gloss surface and the smoothest material we print on. Fine linework, small-scale patterns and photographic murals hold their detail, because there is no texture competing with the artwork.
- Best on: smooth, fully cured painted walls
- Finish: flat with a light sheen
- Choose it for: detailed patterns, murals, and rooms where you want the print to read sharply
- Lifespan: typically 3–5 years on a smooth surface
Canvas Peel & Stick
A matte woven texture with visible depth. The surface scatters light rather than reflecting it, so it hides minor wall imperfections better than smooth vinyl and reads closer to a traditional wallcovering.
- Best on: smooth walls, accent walls, furniture fronts and cabinet panels
- Finish: matte, no sheen
- Choose it for: large areas, rooms with strong downlighting, and a more tactile finish
- Lifespan: typically 3–5 years on a smooth surface
Is Peel and Stick Wallpaper Really Removable?
Yes. Start at a corner and pull the panel back on itself at a steady, even angle rather than straight out from the wall. It lifts away without residue and without taking paint with it, provided the wall was properly prepared and the paint was fully cured before installation.
This is what makes removable wallpaper work for rentals. You are not committing the wall to anything, and you can change the room as often as you like. Browse designs in our renter-friendly wallpaper collection.
Where Self-Adhesive Wallpaper Works — and Where It Doesn't
Peel and stick needs a smooth surface to bond to. Adhesive can only grip what it touches, so on a textured wall it makes contact with the high points and nothing else — which is why it lifts at the edges and fails over time.
Do not apply self-adhesive wallpaper over:
- Textured, orange-peel or knockdown walls
- Paint that has not cured — allow at least 8 weeks
- Damaged, flaking or previously repaired surfaces that have not been sanded flat
- Existing wallpaper or wall decals
- Walls exposed to direct or standing water
If your walls are textured and you do not want to skim-coat them, Traditional Type II is the better route — it is paste-applied and tolerates a light texture.
Sizes
Self-adhesive wallpaper is supplied in 24-inch-wide rolls, cut to the height you need.
| Roll | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Sample — 12"W x 10"H | — |
| 24"W x 50"H | 8.3 sq ft |
| 24"W x 75"H | 12.5 sq ft |
| 24"W x 100"H | 16.7 sq ft |
| 24"W x 120"H | 20 sq ft |
Wall murals ship as a complete scaled artwork rather than a repeating pattern, in a matched set of 24-inch-wide rolls:
| Mural | Rolls |
|---|---|
| 120"W x 75"H | 5 |
| 144"W x 100"H | 6 |
| 168"W x 120"H | 7 |
Every roll has a 1-inch vertical overlap so panels align seamlessly — do not count the overlap when calculating coverage. Custom sizing is available on request. Use the wallpaper calculator to work out how many rolls your wall needs.
Preparing the Wall
Preparation decides whether temporary wallpaper stays up for years or starts lifting in a month.
- Clean the wall and let it dry fully — adhesive will not bond through dust or grease
- Fill and sand any holes or dents flat
- If the wall is newly painted, wait at least 8 weeks for the paint to cure
- Priming first helps protect the paint underneath when you eventually remove the wallpaper
- Remove switch and socket covers before you start
Step-by-step instructions are in our peel and stick installation guide.
Order a Sample First
Smooth vinyl and canvas look different in person, and both look different under your own lighting than they do on a screen. Samples are 12"W x 10"H, printed to order on the material you choose, and let you compare both finishes side by side before committing to a full project.
Tape a sample to the wall and leave it for at least 48 hours. If it stays flat with no bubbles or lifting edges, your wall is suitable. Colors can vary slightly between production batches, including between a sample and a later order, so order everything you need for a project at once.
Read more about samples, or compare all four of our materials on the wallpaper materials page.
